Collar and neckband clasp.



G. H. RADCLIFFE.

COLLAR AND NECKBAND CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 5. 1915.

1 1 9 9,4 1 6 I Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

GEORGE H. RADGLIFFE, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

COLLAR ALND.1\TEGKBAND CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

Application filed November 5, 1915. Serial No. 59,842.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. RAD- CLIFFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain Improvements in Collar and Neckband Clasps, of which the following is a speclfication.

The objects of this invention are to provide an improved clasp which will readily take over the neckband of a shirt or the like and will also receive a collar for securing the same to the neckband; to provide a construction of this sort which may be readily manipulated; to this end to expose the finger pieces which operate the gripping means both toward a common side of the clasp; to provide a construction readily stamped from sheet metal; to avoid riveting or other fastening means requiring time or experience to perform; to permit the springs to be removed and replaced when desired; to thus provide a construction the body portion of which may be of gold, silver or other precious metal; to secure simplicity of construction and operation, and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawlngs in which like numerals of reference indicate the same parts throughout the several views, Figure l is an edge view of a clasp embodying my invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are face views looking at the left and right hand sides respectively of Fig. 1; Fig. dis a central vertical section showing the clasp in gripping position; Fig. 5 is a similar View showing the partsin released position; :Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the springs, and Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the finger pieces or operating means.

In the specific embodiment of'the invention illustrated in said drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates the body portion of my improved clasp, the same preferablybeing stamped from sheet metal of suflicient rigidity not to be easily bent in use. As shown, the body portion 1 is a narrow strip the opposite ends of which are bent back into spaced and parallel relation with respect to the middle or connecting part 3,'providing plates 4, 5 upon opposlte sides and at opposite ends thereof. Furthermore the plates 4, 5 which are bent back are preferably each about half as long as the connecting part 3, but obviously they may be otherwiseif desired and I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself thereto. Preferably, however, the returned parts 4 and 5 upon opposite sides of the body portion 1 are staggered or not directly opposite each other, as shown in the drawings, and more particularly the free end of one preferably terminates substantially opposite the free end of the other, at the middle of the length of the clasp.

Two leaf springs 6, 6 are provided, the same being substantially U-shape and adapted to fit one between one plate 4: and the connecting part 3 and the other between the other plate 5 and the connecting part 3, said springs tending to open so as to normally engage the plates 4:, 5 and part 3. It may also be noted that the springs 6 are inserted so that their free ends are toward the free ends of the strip forming the body portion 1. By this construction and arrangement of parts the springs follow the configuration of the body portion and are not only rendered less conspicuous but are protected by the body portion and less liable to displacement therefrom.

A suitable lip 7 is stamped from each of the springs to stand outwardly from one of the arms thereof, said lip being shown extending transversely of the arm of the spring and seated within a transverse slot 8 in the body portion. By this means the spring is held in position with respect to the body portion, since obviously the spring has to be bent against its tension in order to displace the lip 7 from the slot 8. Projecting inwardly toward each other from adjacent the ends of the opposite arms of the spring are preferably a plurality of prongs 9, the same being shown as integral with the spring. In use the'collar or neckband is placed between the arms of the spring and the same then squeezed together togrip it,

the prongs piercing the goods and obtaining a secure hold thereon. Preferably this gripping or squeezing together of the arms of the spring is obtained by external means and the arms open or separate again when .re-

leased, by their own resiliency, but obviously I the action might be reversed if desired.

Any suitable external means for operating the springs may be employed, and in the drawings I show pivoted finger pieces 10 having each a lateral projection adapted to engage the spring. Each finger piece 10 is preferably stamped from sheet metal in practice and bent at substantially right angles adjacent one end, thus providing a long operating portion 11 and a short laterally projecting portion 12. Pintles 13, 13 project from the opposite side edges of the finger piece at the part thereof where the bend is made, so the pintles are at the meeting ends of the operating and laterally projecting portions 11, 12. Recesses 14:, 15 are cut in the body portion of the clasp for the finger pieces, the recesses being somewhat shorter than the operating portions 11 of the finger pieces and conforming in contour to the shape of the pivoted ends of said operating portions which are consequently adapted to lie therein and are bent or offset adjacent their free ends so as to lie upon the outside of the body portion and engage the same while their other ends are within and flush with the body portion.

Ears 16 are stamped up at the sides of the recesses 1 1, '15 in proper position to receive the pintles 13, overlying said pintles on the side thereof away from the springs so pres-.

sure of the springs hold the pintles seated. It will be noted that with the finger piece in position to cause the spring to grip the collar or neck-band the operating portion lies flatwise of the body portion of the clasp and the lateral projection projects transversely inward bending one arm of the spring toward the other arm, whereas in idle or released position of the finger piece the operating portion extends transversely outward and the lateral projection lies within the recess. Obviously, therefore, the spring will retain the pintles pressed within the ears 16.

Preferably the finger pieces are pivoted to both stand outward from the body portion in the same direction in idle position so that when the clasp is applied to a collar band the finger pieces are at the front of the wearer and not between his neck and the body portion. To effect this, one of the fin- .ger pieces is pivoted to one of the plates, as

4, and the other finger piece is pivoted to the connecting part 3 near its middle. By this arrangement the free ends of the operating portions lie at opposite extremities of the clasp when closed against the body portion and are at the front. In other words, the finger pieces are preferably pivoted at their ends adjacent each other and swing in opposite directions to project both at the same side of the device.

To overcome any tendency of the springs being pulled laterally by the shirt band or collar in use, the arms next the finger piece are longitudinally slotted as at 17 and receive central tongues 18 on the free ends ofof the other in substantially the same plane,

the unconnected arms lying on opposite sides of the connected arms in the staggered relation hereinbefore described and withtheir finger pieces arranged and adapted to be operated as herein set forth. In use one of the clamps or hooked end portions is hooked onto the neck band of a shirt and clamps the two overlapping ends thereof together, while the lower outwardly hooked clamping portion receives the two overlapping ends of the collar and clamps them together. All said parts are thus firmly held in proper relative position, and the operating finger pieces are readily accessible.

Spring steel or any other suitable material may be employed for the springs giving the same the necessary resiliency and the prongs a permanent set and point. At the same time the body portion and finger pieces may be of gold or other metal desired in v whichthe properties required for the spring are not necessary nor present, appearance and rigidity being of more value therein.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is 1. In a collar and neckband clasp, the

combination of a body portion comprising a strip of metal with end portions bent laterally in opposite directions and returned substantially parallel to the middle portion, spring clips arranged one in each U-shaped part of the body thus provided, and finger pieces one upon an arm of each of said U- shaped portions arranged and adapted to project both at the same side of the body portion.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of two U-shaped sheet metal clamps arranged end to end with their open ends toward each other and an arm of one connected to an arm of the other in substantially the same plane, the unconnected arms lying on opposite sides of the connected arms in staggered relation to each other, and finger pieces for said clamps both projecting at'the same side of the device.

3. Ina device of the character described,

the combination of two U-shaped sheet nected arms in staggered relation to each metal clamps arranged end to end with their other, and finger pieces for said clamps both open ends toward each other and an arm of projecting at the same side of the device and one connected to an arm of the other in subpivoted at their ends adjacent each other to 10 stantially the same plane, the unconnected swing in opposite directions.

arms lying on opposite sides of the con- GEORGE H. RADCLIFFE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

